Wednesday, July 25, 2012

A Day of Remembering

Sunday, since we knew we were only going to be in this area a couple more days, we decided to take a little drive to a place not far from here.

We have not visited this place for 44 years and wanted to see if it was still there.

Recently I shared with you that we were celebrating our 44 anniversary. On June 21st., 1968 we were married in Long Beach, Ca.

Just 3 days before our big day, Mr. SS, after his junior year at Long Beach State College, signed with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. He was to go right away to Modesto, to join the Cardinals A league farm team.

After explaining to the agent who signed him that he was getting married in 3 days, they generously gave him until June 25 to get to Modesto. I say generously, because in those days, once you signed a contract, they owned you and as we were to find out later, showed little regard for family or family events.

Anyway...we had to make a quick decision to shorten our honeymoon plans and find a place nearby, so our precious time wasn't spent traveling.

I had read in a Bride's magazine about all the wonderful places to honeymoon and a small ad caught my attention.

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans had recently bought the Apple Valley Inn and refurbished it. It offered a lot of fun things to do along with a restaurant, pool, stables etc.

So after our wedding on a Friday night and a reception at my Mom's we took off for Roy Roger's Apple Valley Inn.

Last Sunday, after going on the internet and googling Apple Valley Inn,(something we sure couldn't have done in 1968 lol) I came up with a little info:

In 1965, movie stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and their family became residents of Apple Valley. Roy Rogers leased the Inn and restaurant, which was then renamed Roy Rogers' Apple Valley Inn. The Outdoor Steak Fry and the Roy Rogers' Riding Stables, with its haywagon rides and horseback riding, were two popular enterprises attached to the Inn. Mel Marion and then Billy Bascom managed the stables. Cowboy artist Earl Bascom and his artist son John worked there from time to time. Roy Roger's personal horse, Trigger Junior, was frequently boarded at the riding stables.[2]
After many successful years, the Inn closed to the public in 1987. It was purchased by the Lakritz Partnership in November 2003 and restored.

After putting the address in our GPS, (something else we certainly couldn't do in 1968)
we once again headed for the AppleValley Inn. No longer the Roy Roger's Apple Valley Inn. and as far as we could see, it wasn't even open.

The entrance hasn't changed much, except for the name change.

We took pictures of each other standing here on our honeymoon.

Wonder if I could find them.

On the way back, as we were driving down the highway, I looked to the left I saw this sign over a street leading to Old Town Victorville. Mr. SS (who knows me so well) did a quick turn around and stopped so I could get a picture. My mind was racing...antique stores, cute gift shops, little outdoor cafe for lunch. Photo opps galore!!

NOPE!! All vacant, boarded up or covered in grafitti. I was so disappointed. At least there was a great sign.

Since in 1968, there wasn't much to Victorville, I'm sure this is where we came on Saturday for lunch and a little shopping.

As we drove back to Adelanto, we started reminicing about that 3 day honeymoon so long ago.

Like:

How the minister said during the wedding ceremony "Do you Chuck, take...." instead of Dennis.

When we were having our counseling with him, he laughed and said Dennis reminded him of Chuck Conners (a lot of people thought that when he was younger).

Yes...he actually called him Chuck during the ceremony.

Like:

How my cousin showed up in the same dress as my mother in law and had to rush out and buy a new dress.

Like:

How the flower girl (Mr. SS's little neice) picked at her "bottom" during the whole ceremony.

The officer looked in the back seat (where we had put the cans that our wedding party had tied to the back of the car. Remember when, back then, we did that?)

and asked if we had been drinking. LOL

Like:

When we checked in, we asked where the restaurant was and were told it had just closed. We had left the wedding reception without eating and Mr. SS had to have something to eat, (he hasn't changed a bit) even on the eve of his honeymoon.

Like:

How we canceled reservations for horseback riding and the Steak Fry on Saturday night to just be together.

Like:

Coming home late Monday night to our little apartment and sitting in the bed cross legged and eating apricot jam on toast.

(My Mom had brought us some of her homemade jam and bread and leftovers from the reception so we would have food when we got home.

Like:

Going over to my Mom's on Tuesday and opening presents and having more sets of glasses than we have ever seen...

Like:

Saying goodbye Wednesday morning when Mr. SS left to go to Modesto.

I had a job at the Post Office and had to be at work the next day.

Like:

How can we remember in detail things that happened 44 years ago and we can't remember where we left our eye glasses ten minutes ago.

Well, if you made it to the end of this, I'll just say thanks for stopping by.

It was fun to write and brought back a lot of memories that I had forgotten.

While writing this, we got "orders" to leave Adelanto for one day at Puddingstone Lake and tonight we will be heading for Agoura Hills, but will stay in Oxnard.

Next post won't be so long and boring. I'll show some things I have been sewing on.

7 comments:

Oh I have enjoyed this wonderful trip down memory lane! How funny and sweet! Now you got me to thinking about my honeymoon! Strep throat, almost couldn't talk, fever but we did say I do! LOL! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

I loved it all. I'm on the sofa with hubby (with my iPad) watching a baseball game, and I read your post to him. He asked if your husband got to play in the majors. Now, if you ever get to work in or near LB we'll have to get together with the guys. Mr. D had a big laugh over your comment about misplacing your glasses ~ we can relate! xo

Dear Beverly, not boring at all my friend, we have all had those kind of experiences..honeymoons back in those days and when Dogpaw and I got married were not these la de da fancy trips like the honeymooners seem to take these days..lots of camping and just getting to know you time..I will do a post about our wedding and honeymoon one of these days..how fun..We have been to the Roy Rogers Museum when it was in it's heyday..and too bad downtown victorville was a bust. Oh well, things change, but glad you went for that drive to check it out! Hope to see you soon dear lady♥hugs and love,Barb